IMPACT OF CYBER LAWS IN PROTECTION OF WOMEN FROM CYBERCRIMES

Legal Studies

The rapid expansion of digital technologies in India has transformed social interaction while simultaneously intensifying women’s exposure to cybercrimes such as cyberstalking, online harassment, sextortion, identity theft, non-consensual intimate image circulation, and emerging threats like deepfakes. This paper examines the impact of cyber laws in protecting women from cybercrimes through a doctrinal, judicial, and data-driven analysis. It critically evaluates the effectiveness of India’s cyber legal framework, including the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the post-2023 criminal law reforms under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam. Drawing upon NCRB and NCRP data from 2020–2024, the study demonstrates a sharp rise in cyber offences against women alongside improved reporting, charge-sheeting, and institutional responsiveness. Judicial developments, particularly post-Puttaswamy, reveal a constitutional shift in framing cyber violence as violations of dignity, privacy, and equality rather than mere technical offences. However, despite enhanced procedural access, intermediary obligations, and evidentiary reforms, substantive deterrence remains limited due to enforcement gaps, low conviction rates, technological asymmetries, and social stigma. The paper argues that while Indian cyber laws have significantly strengthened women’s access to justice and recognition of digital harm, sustained legal, technological, and institutional reforms are essential to translate formal protection into effective deterrence and meaningful safety in cyberspace.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.